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The latest movie theater news and updates
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April 11, 2007
Mayfair Theater - Young Frankenstein program for sale
This is the actual Program (prop?) given to the actors/extras sitting in the Mayfair Theater
during the dance sequence in the film, “Young Frankenstein.” I am not sure if the Program is visable in the film or not. for more details.1 comment -
April 10, 2007
Venetian Theater razed
MILWAUKEE, WI — The Venetian Theater Building is being razed. A crew arrived Tuesday, April 3rd and as of this afternoon, most of the west wall including the terra cotta corner, most of the east wall and a larger percent of the roof are torn down. The roof was pulled down away from the stage. This afternoon Milwaukee police had Center street blocked off to all traffic while the east wall was removed as there was concern that the front wall may colapse into the street.
Some items to note: The projection booth was intact, with the details around it including handrails for the balcony. The balcony was present as was the stage with the colored details around it and above it as well. It is very easy to see the bases of the ledges that were over the stage. One person who has been watching the razing continually over the last 4 days reported to me that upon opening the west wall, where work started, none of the interior was visible or intact. It was a crumbled mess as he described it, except for the items I have mentioned above.
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ISO: General Manager position
Hello! My name is Jason Phalen and I am curently seeking a General Managaer position with a theatre company. I have over 6 years of theatre management experience with several theatres in two different states. I currently live in Ohio but I am willing to relocate.
If anyone is interested, feel free to call me at 440-637-4653 or shoot me an email at .
Thanks!
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Connellee Theatre..?
Greetings. I was walking along Spring Street, not far from the Historic Theatres of Broadway in downtown L.A., when I grabbed a free CD with pictures of historic theatres. The shots are great, but none of them are labelled. I recognized many local venues, but there was on in particular that I cannot find on our site. It is the Connelle Theatre (once I figure out how to upload the two pics, I will post them).
Does anyone have informatiion on this theatre? Thanks.
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April 9, 2007
50 years ago at Port Richmond’s Clearfield Movies
PHILADEHLPHIA, PA — 50 years ago at Port Richmond’s Clearfield Movies: 6 films, 20 movie stars, 1 dish, and $1.50 add up to an entertaining week. Today, there aren’t any places a movie goer could go to see 20 established movie stars for $1.50 and get a free dish to boot.
However, if you attended the Clearfield Movies during the week before Thanksgiving, 1957, you were successful in doing so.
On Sunday, November 17, the likes of Gene Kelly, Dorothy Dandridge, and Barbara Laage starred in The Happy Road and Rory Calhoun, Anne Francis,with Vince Edwards played in The Hired Gun.
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State Theatre reopens as second-run movie house
LINCOLN, NE — Providing more of a dinner theatre experience, the State Theatre is being renovated so it can be re-opened as a second-run movie house.
When David McNeil moved from his hometown of Portland, Ore., to the San Francisco area a few years ago, he was surprised not to find second-run “theater pubs” like those that were so successful in Portland.
One of the first theaters they came across was the vacant State Theater in downtown Lincoln.
McNeil said getting the building in working order, repairing the signs and marquee, and installing seating and theater equipment will be the main work done before opening.
For more, go to the Lincoln Journal Star.
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April 6, 2007
A little slice of Paradise
I thought it was about time I get out of Los Angeles and see another city’s movie palaces upfront. I don’t get out of town too much these days so I had to make the most of my trip to New York last weekend. Scheduling came together perfectly though and I happened to be going into the Bronx Monday morning, a perfect time to stop by the newly renovated Paradise Theater.
The Paradise is one of the five Loew’s Wonder Theaters, grandiose palaces all built in 1929-1930 to serve as the chain’s New York flagship theaters. With the exception of the still shuttered Kings, the other three had been operating in some capacity for a while. Many believed the Paradise’s end could come tragically with so little life coming out of it for years. Then, in 2005, an aggressive renovation restored the treasure to its former glory.
With the Grand Concourse not being the entertainment hub of the Bronx it once was, it certainly has its hurdles. Once a perfect central location, the tight, traffic-consumed Bronx streets make it not the easiest place to visit nowadays. Throw on the fact that many outside the boroughs don’t even view the Bronx as a nightlife destination, instead thinking of New York City as only Manhattan, and you see what the theatre is up against.
Despite this and other factors, the Paradise has been slowly gaining ground. What at first was a spotty schedule of events now with new management is a constantly progressing lineup of shows, concerts and sporting events. And they’re not stopping there. They aim to make the Paradise on par with Radio City and with newly added luxuries like skyboxes and a full-service restaurant, an even more glamorous entertainment destination.
CT: The theatre was closed down for a while. Why now has it come back into action?
PAR: Only 2 years ago did we finally get the million of dollars in investments to restore the theatre to how it looked in 1929. It now looks better than it ever did.
CT: How has the public reaction been so far? Attendance?
PAR: People are really enjoying it. The Bronx Borough President has even stopped by. The latest concert sold out immediately and more are being booked all the time. We have more coming in the next few months than we had all of the first year. I can’t tell you how many people have come in and told me about their first dates they had here and stuff. When Beyonce shot her latest video on this stage, she couldn’t believe that this amazing theater was here. So many have discovered it only now.
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A force in touring hits the end of the road
In an interesting but not entirely surprising move, Live Nation is leaving the theater business.
“As part of our strategy to focus on our core global music business,” read Live Nation’s quarterly statement last month, “we have launched a process to divest the majority of our North American theatrical business assets.”
With that, the end was in sight of one of the most high-profile attempts to align Broadway and Wall Street.
For the full story, go to the New York Times.
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Organ concert at The Brooklyn Paramount(UPDATED: Event cancelled)
Hi all,
If you’re in the area and wanted to see the inside of the old Brooklyn Paramount (Now the L.I.U. Gym), there will be an organ concert given on the originial Mighty Wurlitzer 4/26 opus 1984 organ which was installed when the theatre was built.
Come and hear the a Mighty Wrulitzer in a way you’ve never heard one before. That’s because there are no carpets, seats or drapes to surpress the sound. Just the wood gym floor. Great for the organ, bad for stage shows.
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Belle Meade Theatre auditorium demolished
NASHVILLE, TN — As part of the ongoing retail/residential “redevelopment” of the property, the auditorium of the Deco/Moderne Belle Meade Theatre in has been demolished. Word is that the building’s storefronts, the theatre’s front facade, marquee and part of the lobby will be part of the “redeveloped” structure, to be called “Belle Meade Town Center”. The url for the redeveloped property is here: Giarratanna Properties.
(Thanks to Rick for providing the photo.)